Still not sure why you keep complaining about charter schools. They are non-profits. They are efficient and effective. I believe some of you candidates even admitted to this at the last debate, public schools could use to learn something from the charters. You should probably watch the video you posted. Watch out for the 'metal sctructure' though in front of Gina...

Children First low standards? Was Children First admonished by the ACLU? The answer is no. Is Children First spending $10,000 a day on a out-of-town contract? What I find low is someone ignoring what is going on now then make attacks on a group that wants change.

Stay classy "amc" - nothing like involving Board Member's grade school aged children in politics.

Children First continue to set new lows on a daily basis...

BOE president Ranade:

Have you seen the response to your husband?s terrible smear job of Mr. Richardson?

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1 Hour Ago
Amogh Ranade maybe it is time for your wife to resign as BOE member.

I feel she put all our children in danger. She brought in Strike Force, armed guards with guns to our schools without board approval. Do you think that was a safe a wise move? Our children could have been shot

She feels she can do whatever she wants, a renegade. She is not a team player.

She approves whatever the useless Dr. Lyles wants. Cause she owes Fulop for getting her on the BOE. Without his $$ and backing she would be a no body.

You're daughter didn't make the DL class at PS # 3 so they added another class for her.

They bus the DL kids from #3 #5, #16 and # 37. The DT mommies can't walk their kids to school? The rest of the moms in JC walk their kids to school we do not have the luxury of our own private school bus.

Maybe it is about time you all realize that safe JCPS are for all our children.

Actually, the figure you quoted in misleading. More than 10% of the money goes to charter schools. This election is about the funds the board of ed will spend on local schools. When you add mandated cost and contracts, some schools are not getting their fair share of funding. There should be a precise breakdown for each school.

The BOE elections are not a waste of time, and I disagree about the comment regarding the members. Let me give you an example.
Powerless. No. The BOE budget is 680 million. (More than the City Budget.) The board sets policy and the district administers that policy.
But the board has to vote on policy decisions, hiring, raises, acquisitions, etc.
Clueless: No. If the board accepts a recommendation to rent a multimillion dollar property the district owns for 2 dollars a year for 30 years to interested parties that would be extreme waste
of resources that could have been better managed to help student achievement.
Another example. Powerless. No. There is a state ethics rule that states anyone endorsed by
union can't vote for a year on union contracts. They must abstain. It happened in 2010 with Angel Valentin and Sterling Waterman.
Look it up. So if any of the Felicia palmer's team or so called independent candidate tells you they want to work on the contract they will not be able to vote on it in the next year.
These are the facts.
You need people who are truly independent and fiscally responsible who will not waste district resources because they have to pay back a favor.

Vote 2H 6H 8H

Parents for Excellence
2 + 6=8

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For the most part yes. Every once in a while you get a very good and dedicated person on the elected board. And then of course you get people like Jerry McCann and possibly Lorenzo Richardson (ugh).

From Bertram Okpokwasili, Parent, Jersey City resident and School Board candidate.

The work of the Board of Education is help steward the public education of Jersey City so that it best serves ALL
28,600 children in our schools and keeps our communities moving forward. In today?s world, students have to learn more and achieve more. When our schools are better,
Jersey City is better, and our neighborhoods are better, and our quality of life is better. I understand the concerns about our schools in a real way because I am the parent of
three kids that attend Jersey City Public Schools. I want to continue positive policies of raising Student Achievement and
policies that take us forward.

Five important issues:
1. We need to raise Student Achievement. Our children and schools and communities benefit if we do.

To do that we first must have an effective school board.

There are nine seats on the board. It takes 5 votes to move forward on anything. If there is no consensus we move backward. We need constructive individuals who can agree
to disagree without threats.

According to the American School Board Journal, signs of highly effective board members including keeping within the
following parameters: 1. Going solo's a no-no (Basically saying it is a ?team? effort that moves things along.),
2. Respect the team. 3. Understand the difference between board and staff, 4. Share and defend your views, but listen to
the views of others, 5. Do your homework and ask tough questions, 6. Respect your oath 7. Keep learning.
See K. Blumsack and T. Mccabbe, ?Seven Signs of highly effective school board members? American School Board
Journal, July/August 2013.

Many Jersey City students are lacking in their preparation for higher education. I want to use my best efforts to move
forward as a team to make things better for all children in Jersey City Public Schools.

Second we have to address our schools that need to do better academically, and drop-out rates have to be improved.
The good news is that the State will recommend that six Jersey City Public Schools will come off the
Regional Achievement Center ?RAC? list and the drop- out rates have decreased by half if you compare the last two years to the two years before.
The district did so by having assigning community officers to engage the public to assess issues with the children that were absent. We have made progress but there is still work to be done.

Third, we have to be able to collect student achievement data that shows us where best practices, and different models of
teaching, individual or group learning models, are working and may have to be applied. If something is working at a
school, let us emulate success, and not file a law suit to stop it.

Fourth, we increase training for our teachers and advancement opportunities to support amazing teachers and administrators who care for the children in our schools.


2. We need to continue to fix facilities and capacity issues.

Real work is being done in this district. We have to do our best to address facilities and capacity issues.
I believe our facilities need to be upgraded to be current with today?s technology. We have made
tremendous strides on this in a short time. Wireless technology has been completed for 35 schools to
date. New auditorium sound systems installed at PS#6, PS#15, PS#22, PS#38 and Lincoln High School.
New Magnetic Door Security Systems at PS#15, PS#38, MS#40, Academy I and Ferris HS.
New Security Camera Systems have been installed at 25 Schools, and the district is currently installing at PS34 and MS 49
and 12 systems are scheduled for next year. I believe that we need to equip our students to be ready for higher education.
We must work with the school development authority to get money to fix long standing issues that were present before this superintendent.
Recently, a new cafeteria was built at PS 25, a new gym floor and renovated Science Lab at Dickenson High School, a new gym floor was put into
Dickenson high school, classroom expansion and new library renovation at MS 40, a new roof for PS 15 and a new roof being worked on at Ferris,
and a new PS 20 is being built. There is a new gym floor at PS 16, a library renovation at PS 27, and sidewalk renovation at PS22.
A lot of the work was done by Local union 2262 which should be lauded for their professionalism and commitment.
There is still a lot of work to be done. But see for yourself on page 2-5.
http://www.jcboe.org/boe2015/images/p ... iness/facilityTour1.4.pdf
We need to move forward. There is great work being done by good people in Jersey City.

We have to say no to the distractions and lies and law suits of
the so called ?Children?s first? team managed by Felicia Palmer. (I do not believe they have the best interest
of the children in mind, but that is what they call themselves.) They have always lied, tried to sue to get
records on specific children and threatened people and attacked people with lawsuits. When Dr. Lyles was being
considered they lied and said the hiring would cause massive layoffs.
How can a person who threatens with violence ever hope to be a member of an effective school board.
http://www.parentsforexcellence.com/lorenzo_richardson_video

They are not an example for our children.

Let?s build partnerships and talk to other elected officials and the New Jersey School Development Authority and make sure Jersey City Children get the facilities they are owed and deserve.

3. Training and advancement opportunities for teachers and avoiding past practices of
mass teacher layoffs in contract negotiations ?
We have to ensure that teachers are getting the tools they need to help all Jersey City
public school children succeed and that we do not have a repeat of a contract that leads to teacher layoffs as in the past.
We have to be fiscally responsible.
I respect the teachers and come from a family of teachers. My parents taught
at Georgian Court University in Lakewood, NJ. In regards to the contract, I will work as hard as I can
to see that the teachers get a fair and equitable contract. I do not want a repeat of past practices
where a contract results in teacher layoffs and low morale. We have to respect ALL our teachers, be fiscally responsible and not write checks we cannot cash.
I want a fair and equitable contract for the teachers and for the children of Jersey City Public Schools.

The contract is not a one-sided affair. It takes both sides to come to an agreement.
I believe it has been stated publicly that offers were made in line with the state averages yet at present the JCEA and the District
will be going to mediation.
See for yourself. http://www.boarddocs.com/nj/jcps/Boar ... f%208-28-14%20Meeting.pdf

4. Reach out to families and community to get feedback and build partnerships
? We need to work on getting members of the community more involved so we can have
constructive discussion on bringing about positive results for all Jersey City Public School children
and the schools in their communities. I believe we should engage the leaders of PTA and Neighborhood associations
and invite them to caucus so they could not only speak to the issues of their communities, but we all can, as one Jersey City
Community, figure out what works and what doesn?t work, and what can be fixed relatively easy, and what issues may need a
more complex approach or solution. If something is going well in one neighborhood, then maybe these same practices
can be applied in another neighborhood.

5. Positive Communication, In-Sourcing, Absenteeism and Substitute Teachers and Fact vs Fiction.
There is a misconception going around. We need to defeat the misconceptions of professional multiple time candidates
like those of Felicia Palmer?s team and better our communication. There is more in-sourcing here in Jersey City than in other districts our size.
There is a 4 million dollar ?cap? on spending for source for teachers ?IF? the district needs substitutes for the next 12 months.
If there are no absences, the district doesn?t have to pay any of that money. This is important and a fact that shouldn?t be drowned out
by all the fear mongering. This is a smart sound short term fiscal solution to an absenteeism problem that wasn?t adequately addressed before
when our students were left with empty classrooms and no instruction. However, I believe in supporting our incredible local talent, and that the
best person should get the job. I want to continue policies that work with our local unions, such as local 2262 who did a great job
with our facilities issues this summer at PS15, PS 25, and Snyder High School and others. See letter on behalf of AFSMCE and Local 2262 below.
http://www.boarddocs.com/nj/jcps/Boar ... tt.%203.01%20Addendum.pdf

I will also engage the district to work on a long term in-house solution for substitute teachers.

We must work together to find solutions to long standing problems and knocking them down one by one.
I was appointed in 2014 and did not shy away from my responsibilities for political reasons while touting
myself as an independent as one of my opponents has.

http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... ision-is-in-states-hands/ . Why should we elect a person that walked away from his responsibilities before? Why is he interested now?

My team is comprised of professionals who are independent in thought and are constructive in action and most of all,
respect each other and all the stakeholders involved.

I find it insulting on behalf of teachers, that the Felicia Palmer?s team talks about respect, when they can?t be honest with the teachers,
and are stoking the fears of our community and teachers with lies, information and trumped up law suits. You can?t be for the students
when you are trying to get student records for a law suit of one of the best educational programs in the district. You show real respect by
lauding accomplishments of teachers and emulating what works elsewhere. I show my respect for the teachers through my actions, and
not with lies. The teachers that teach and taught my kids are special. I went on a school trip with the teachers of my son to an aquarium.
They do the good work everyday. They support our kids and we support them.

I am running with Carol Harrison Arnold and Monica Kress to continue the progress that Dr. Lyles has been able to accomplish in two years.
Carol Harrison-Arnold, as a board member for 3 years, helped bring in change to our district, helped bring in Dr. Lyles, to raise
student achievement, and has run a literacy program for kids during the summer and served on school PTA boards. Monica Kress has been an
educator for almost 10 years and has opened up her own home to children in need as an educational guardian.
We are parents for excellence and our priority is giving the opportunity for excellence to ALL children in the Jersey City Public School system
and ALL schools. Our team has the institutional knowledge of the board, and knowledge as teachers and the best interest of ALL Jersey City children
at heart. It is very important that on Nov 4th you VOTE for Bertram Okpokwasili 2H, Carol Harrison-Arnold 6H, and Monica Kress 8H.
Vote for Student Achievement. Vote for Fiscal Competence.
Vote for Professionalism. Vote for Excellence. Vote for our Teachers. Vote
for Communities. Vote against bullying, disrespect, and fear-mongering.
Vote NOV 4th for 2H, 6H, and 8H.

Regards Bertram
Parents for Excellence
2 + 6=8

Newark improved grad rates by 5% 2012 to 2013 - overtaking JC's abysmal rate. That's the kind of progress in JC I'd like to see.

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I honestly don't know what people expected. The school board turned over, what 2 years ago? What magic was supposed to transform JC into a high performing district in 2 years?

These are non-paying positions that have a somewhat limited scope of what they are actually allowed to do and how quickly they can implement change. Are they supposed to just demand that students do better and watch the results roll in?

I do know 6 schools were taken off the low-performing priority list by the state. That's progress. If you didn't see it, perhaps you were not looking. Still, whatever changes happen in school districts they are slow and painful and expecting to see a massive change in a short period of time is just setting yourself up to be perpetually disappointed in the board, no matter who gets elected.

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So the JC BOE are clueless, powerless, and the elections are a waste of time?

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Elected board members are not paid. It's highly unrealistic to expect they either have the knowledge or the time and motivation to make effective decisions on the way the schools are run.

The superintendent is the one really making major decisions.

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What's with the "we believe..."???

As a taxpayer I want to see results. I want to see every kid succeed. I want to see the best use of resources employed in the education of our kids.

I don't want belief and blind faith. I want results. I want proof that our kids are doing better. And frankly, I'm not seeing that in JC.

I found their platform on the Parents for Excellence website:
-As independent candidates, we are only beholden to the 28,000 students who depend on our schools for an exceptional education.
-We believe Jersey City Public Schools can provide an excellent education for every child, preparing them for college or a career.
-We believe the best way to raise student achievement is by focusing our efforts, and the efforts of the community, on better public schools.
-We must engage students and teachers and continue to focus resources on schools facing the greatest challenges.
-We will work hard to return Jersey City schools to local control.
-We believe in improving existing schools, opening new ones, and continuing to oppose the practice of closing schools.
-We support the district?s efforts to create more district-run high school choices for students and families.
-We believe in encouraging families to feel welcome and engaged in their children's education. As parents become involved in school, children achieve more. Therefore, we must proactively solicit the opinions of parents and teachers in making Board decisions in order to make the Board more receptive to community needs.
-We support the goal, laid out in the Mayor Fulop's transition report, to build a playground at every elementary and grade school, so every child has a safe place to play.

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Ok - I just re-asked the same question to the Children First candidates

What does the Parents For Excellence team bring to the JC BOE? Top 5 issues and how you will address them. Please list them here...

Ok. Excellence team. Most of us don't have the time to watch your youtube vids. Can you tell us on JCList what you propose to turn around the issues in JC schools? Top 5 issues if you like.

(I already asked the other mob the same question).

Actually, it was board member Ellen Simon who, before running for office, was trying to get the Board to address the problems of lead in the water. I was at the board meeting where Mr. Richardson called on the board to ignore her, claiming that it was just a political ploy. So now the "Children's First" team complains about....lead in the water!

You assume that if someone complains at a board meeting, that their words are gospel. So someone complains that they don't have enough books in class, or that the facilities are not up to par. Fine. What Ms. Ranade is saying is that anyone who wants to raise these issues can do so, at any time, whether at a board meeting or not. Just provide specifics. Teacher, subject, room number. Because otherwise, screaming at board meetings "we don't have books" isn't very helpful. When the administration then follows up with "ok, which classrooms need books," there is no response.

If you are relying on public comment at a board meeting (which I agree should be broadcast, in its entirety, as part of the board broadcast) you are going to be getting people who are not necessarily the most accurate, just the most vocal. When the new chancellor was being selected, a small group of people came to meetings to demand that Franklin Walker be given the position. That did not represent the desires of most members of the public or parents with kids in the system, just the viewpoints of those who had an agenda to push.

Your repeated claim of "I attend these meetings, so I know what's going on" ignores the fact that parents, teachers, and many others are constantly working on these matters in the schools, through communications with administration and the board between meetings, and through other productive mechanisms that are designed to actually solve the problem, rather than grandstand for their run at political office.

You got that wrong, Rorschach, she is limiting the time of parents and teachers who are involved in the system. Parents who are concerned about lead in the school water and asked about lead testing. Teachers who complained about teaching in cold classrooms. I don't have to deal with those problems because my children are adults who went to Catholic schools.

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Yeah right. Hooray for Sangeeta for limiting your air time.

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I find it amazing - the person who cut the filming of the public is now saying prove this. Of course, what I am saying is true, I was there when parents and teachers made these comments, but you decided not to have the public videotaped. Boy, did you become a politician fast. So here is my interview with Gina, we speak about this: . http://youtu.be/0ztRaKXd5Vs?list=UUPZCDR4rCUMJtCl7__MaEag
When you get a chance, Sangetta Rande, read the ACLU comments on cutting public speaking.
http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... olicies.html#incart_river

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That line would suggest your group might be a reactive type - History will dictate what's wrong, what's lacking and what needs fixing.

I would have thought that any group / team would have a detailed 'what to do list' to fix and would be making that list available to the public to review and your group / team would have solutions to those issues.

It would appear not one group or team has a check list to hit the ground running if elected - it appears all the groups / teams are going to rely on only fixing issues that present the loudest concerns from the community.

Having 'sound bites' or making value statements about education doesn't get my vote ... where is the business plan from these groups / teams on the educational needs for this city ?

There are two complaints in here that I want to respond to

1. no books in the classroom- to anyone out there aware of a classroom without books then can you please let me know the room number and subject matter? No one on the Board or in the District benefits from denying students books. To date, no one has EVER followed up after making these claims.

2. cut in the athletics budget- can anyone tell me which team was cut? The budget has not been cut- check the approved budget which is a public document.

It's normal to have honest disagreements, but can we please ground them in facts? If everyone wants to help the students of the district then get specific and we'll fix it. Otherwise it feels like voters will have a choice on Nov 4 between people who actually work to solve problems and those who pat themselves on the back for pointing them out.

Sangeeta Ranade

Thanks Yvonne. We won't be able to respond to every attack from your team, of course, but this is a great example of the contrast between the candidates.

The Parents For Excellence team has consistently put forth positive ideas that are bearing real results for the children of our district, as mentioned below. When your team has had the opportunity to address the district's challenges, they have chosen to focus on getting themselves on TV.

Our team is actually divided on the issue. Bertram opposes videotaping. Carol is in favor. Monica is still researching the issue. The difference is, when we disagree with each other or with current Board members, we do it respectfully and productively. Because that is the way to move the district forward.

Thank you for highlighting this contrast between our candidates.

Yvonne, were you asking questions at those meetings or where you yelling at the Board like you have a tendency to do at Council meetings? I'm sure you know that people get quiet after you 'speak' not because of the brilliance of what you said but because your delivery sometimes sounds like screeching.

Where is the progress, when parents/teachers at board meetings ask questions and are now given answers? Where is the progress when some schools in this city do not have books? Where is the progress when sports programs are cut? Don't give me a snow job, I have attended enough meetings to know we need a change of leadership at the board of education. Even the ACLU has condemned the practices at the present board of ed.

As a father whose oldest son just started Kindergarten, I had all of the natural trepidations at the start of this school year: Would he like it? Would he like his teachers? Would the other kids be nice to him?

The nice thing is, for the first time in many years, I was not worried about the general direction of the Jersey City public schools. There have been massive changes in leadership at the JCBOE in the last few years: new board members, new Superintendent, new administrators. As a result of this new leadership, Jersey City schools are seeing their first measurable progress in decades.

To give a few examples:



I could go on and on. The point is, the only reason we are seeing this progress is because voters have gotten the message and elected BOE candidates who are truly focused on raising student achievement, properly overseeing our tax dollars, and making our district public schools the centers of each neighborhood around our city.

This year the only candidates committed to continuing this positive vision for our schools are Carol Harrison-Arnold, Monica Kress, and Bertram Okpokwasili. They are running on the Parents For Excellence slate and I am glad to be supporting them.

For more info on these outstanding candidates, check us out on facebook page and at our website.

And no matter who you support, please vote on Election Day, November 4th!